Inkspills About Grace

Author: American Kate

Rain on dry dust. I remember walking barefooted down a dirt road as a kid in Arkansas, watching those first few drops strike the ground before me. The dust became blotched with dark blobs of wetness, and as more sprinkled down, my nostrils filled with the incredible rich smell of the earth beginning to drink. … More Inkspill No. 20: Rain on Dry Dust

I am learning to overcome a natural tendency toward absentmindedness. This tendency is usually triggered by worry, agitation, stress — the cure for these being, of course, the peace of Jesus Christ. Suffice it to say I have not always practiced this peace, and the Lord has bailed me out of more scrapes than I … More Inkspill No. 19: Saving Love

We all need God, more than we can possibly imagine. Apart from the check of His hand, humans are capable of monstrous things. I’ve been thinking a lot about the repercussions of decisions I’ve made in the past; things I can’t change. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m really not as important as … More Inkspill No. 18: Identity Crisis? Read on.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” — Psalm 100:4 One thing I notice about living a life of grace is that I never run out of things to be thankful for. As soon as I realize how good God is, and … More Inkspill No. 17: Every Good and Perfect Gift

Fall greets us with a decision to make. The summer, whatever we have expected it to bring, is over. It’s tempting to witness the brilliant leaves, the tawny grasses, as beautiful as they will ever be and yet doomed to fade into the ashes of winter — and grieve. To reflect that old dreams are passing as … More Inkspill No. 16: Dreams and Plentitude

Here are a few thoughts on applying grace to your relationships. When God gifts us with a propensity for a certain virtue, we must see it as a secret of sorts. We shouldn’t expect others to have miraculously acquired it too. It is our own gift, our own tool, our special weapon against darkness. If we grow … More Inkspill no. 15: On Handling People

I have recently been mulling over Luke 10:40, where Martha is “cumbered about much serving” and does not listen to the Lord teach, while her sister Mary absorbs His every word. After all these years I found I still wrestled with the idea that I am like Martha and not like Mary. Running around … More Inskpill No. 14: The Martha Syndrome

Cares. Caring, care for, careful. Care-full. I know why people go on vacation. It’s to forget, for a time, the weight of the words above listed. Or at least try to. There is, of course, a positive connotation to the word care: that is, to tend to lovingly, as in “caring” for an ailing family member. One of … More Inkspill No. 13: The Fine Art of Carrying Burdens

My Bible is big, fat, heavy, with gold-edged pages and my name engraved on its red leather front. The finest gift, by far, that I have ever bought myself. Of course, what makes it special is not its cover but what’s inside it. Wisdom is more valuable than rubies, and to find it every time … More Inkspill No. 12: Vote the Word

The best way to begin writing is with a blank page. That may sound obvious, but really a blank page is more than just a piece of paper. It’s a state of mind; a preparedness to calmly face that fresh legal pad, pen in hand, ready to simply write. No agendas, no notions conceived in … More Inkspill No. 11: The Blank Page